olmsted



Patented July 5, |898.

3 Sheets Sheet I.

B. 'F. ULMSTED.

CAR GUUPLING.

(No Model.) (Applcalton led Apr. 12, 1897.)

BY New ATTORNEYS INVENTUH:

WITNESSES No. 606,999. Patented luly 5, |898. B. F. ULMSTED.

CAR COUPLING.

(Application med Apr. 12, 1897.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

' WITNEssEs mvENTuH= ATTORNEYS.

Unsinn STATES PATENT raies.

BENJAMIN F. OLMSTED, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO VILLIAM H. OLMSTED, OF SAIWIE PLACE, AND JOI-IN NEW JERSEY.

H. OLMSTED, OF PLAINFIELD,

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 606,999, dated July 5, 189B.

Application iiled April l2, 1897. Serial No. 631,869. (No model.)

erence being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters and numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a partof this specication.

i The objects of this invention are to enable cars to be co npled and uncoupled with greater certainty, facility, safety, and effectiveness; to prevent the parts from becoming locked because of frictional Contact; to reduce the 2o cost of construction; to enable the coupling members held upon the car at different elevations to be brought into coupled relation; to allow the improved coupler to be employed -in connection with an ordinary link, and to secure other advantages and results, some of which may be referred to hereinafter in connection with the description of the working parts. l

The invention consists in the improved car- 3o coupling and in the arrangements and 'combinations of parts thereof, all substantially as will be hereinafter set forth, and finally embraced in the clauses of the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

3 5 in which like letters and numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several views, Figure l is a central, vertical, and longitudinal section of a draw-bar audits coupling devices. Fig. 2 is aplan of the same.

4o Fig. 3 is a front elevation. Fig. 4 is a central, vertical, and longitudinal section of the body portion of the draw-bar, the movable parts being removed therefrom ,to show the construction of the interior Walls of 'the said body portion more perfectly. Fig. 5 is a detail side view of a certainpivoted repressionpiece adapted to be engaged by the end of thelink and be pressed back to effect an 4operation of certain coupling parts. Fig. 6 is a plan of the same. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a certain detent ada ted to be engaged Y P s s by said repression-piece and to be turned therebyto a locking engagement with the coupling-j aw. Fig. Sis a sectional view taken at line y, Fig. 7; and Figs..9, .10, and ll are 55 detail views of the links employed in connection with the improved coupling. Fig. 9 shows the link of the round in transverse section. Fig. lO shows said shank oval in section; and Fig. ll shows the link provided 6o withia head at one end and an eye to receive a coupling-pin of the older form of construction, so that said link may be employed where the double-headed form cannot.

In said drawings, ct indicates a draw-bar which is provided at its forward end with the bell or flaring'portion a', adapted to guide the link to a socket within the draw-bar, Where it is locked in a manner hereinafter specified. Said body portion is preferably of cast steel 7o or iron and is cored interiorly'to receive the working parts, the interior construction being shown particularly in Fig. 4. Along the upper opposite sides of thev said draw-bar body at the top are formed flanges a, adapted to be seated upon brackets b, bolted to the under side of the car-body, said flanges being directly upon the draw-bar, as distinguished from a casing or inclosure therearound, and the relation of the draw-bar to 8o said brackets is such as to permit a lateral play ofsaid draw-bar and when the rear end of the draw-bar is detached to permit said draw-bar to be drawn out longitudinally from its bearings with ease and convenience when renewing the springs at the back of the draw-bar without changing the draw-bar brackets in any manner. At the rear end said draw-bar may be of any suitable construction common in railway-carconstruction. 9o

IOO

stantially no vertical strain on the flangesor slidewaybrackets except that due to the weight of the draw-bar.

The forward end of the body portion where made somewhat bell-shaped and a little back therefrom is on the under side open to receive and allow the operation of a coupling-jaw c, the repression-piece d, and a detent e.

The interior walls of the hollow drawbar provide bearings hereinafter particularized, which serve in limiting the movements of the said coupling-jaw c, repression-piece d, and detent e. Bearings for the pivotal pins or shafts are also formed in the walls, and the said walls are recessed to receive said parts.

The lower opening of the hollow draw-bar is bridged by a downwardly-curved integral portion f, the upper side of which is forwardly.

inclined or beveled to cause the link g as it enters the mouth or bell of the draw-bar to rise as it moves inward and enter a socket 7L, formed in the bell end of the draw-bar, between it and the coupling-jaw. The couplingjaw holds the link within the said socket, as

will be hereinafter more fully described. The said curved bridge or connection j", having `the inclined or beveled upper surface, is preferably integral with the draw-bar, as above indicated. The said coupling-jaw c at its forward extremity flares more or less in correspondence with the bell end of the drawbar, .and back of said flaring part a recess 7L is formed, which is concavous in correspondence with the recess 7L of the draw-bar, forming with said recess 7L a socket which ii-ts the ball-like base of the head of the couplinglink. Said socket permits of a ball-andsocket action of the .link when in coupling relation.

sides with lateral extensions, which are cast Vintegral therewith, and at their outward extremities turn upward to form pivotal ears 't' i p at the opposite sides of the draw-bar and are held to said draw-bar by the bolt or shaft j, the said braw-bar at its sides being perforated and provided with j ourn al-bearin gs which receive said bolt. rlhe said couplingjaw has a pivotal action on the said bolt and is at its forward end adapted Vto rise into engagement with the link, so as to bite said link and hold it within its socket or lower it to release said link and allow its withdrawal. The forward extremity of the said couplingjaw c is made at its upper side concavous, so as to form the segment of a bell and more or less closely correspond with the curves on the flaring end of the drawbar to receive and guide the link as it enters the draw-bar. Back of the concavous extremity the said bitingjaw is raised to form a shoulder 79, which engages the shoulder at the back of the head of the link to hold said link in place. The said shoulder serves .as a part of the forward wall of the socketed recess 7L and supplements the bearing 7a' of the adjacent recess of the draw-bar to form said socket, which latter is About midway of its length said` coupling-jaw a is provided at its opposite of a size more or less closely corresponding with the head g' of the link, so that when said linkhead is in said socket it will be firmly held, but will be allowed a certain amount of pivotal action in all directions, the said link having an action similar to an ordinary balland-socket joint. The said coupling-jaw at its forward end is also vertically perforated, as at l, to receive an ordinary coupling-pin, the upper forward portion of the draw-bar being correspondingly perforated at m to receive said pin, the two perforations being in vertical alinement. Thus an ordinary link may be entered into the mouth of the drawbar and beheld in place by the usual coupling-pin.

The coupling is thus adapted to be employed with an ordinary link-and-pin-coupler. The action of the ordinary link, in connection with my improved coupling, is such that as it enters the draw-bar it engages the inclined bridge and rises with the jaw c, as in thecase of the improved link more particularly referred to hereinafter. 1

At the rear end of thc coupling-j aw c, back of the fulcrumal ears i, the said jaw is adapted to be locked in its closed or coupling position by means of the detent e engaging the free rear end of the lever-like jaw, the said detent holding said rear end downward and the opposite forward end up into its biting or dog-like engagement. The detent e preferably consists of an arm pivotally arranged upon an eccentric n, the center ot' action of the detent-arm being concentric with the center of that portion of the eccentric it upon which the said crank-like part is arranged. The eccentric n is provided with a dovetailed groove in its periphery, in which is seated a feather fn, and the detent e, where it engages said eccentric,is provided with a groove wider than said feather, into which said feather extends and is allowed a limited play, so that the eccentric and detent have certain limited independence of movement.

The eccentric is carried by an angular portion o of a hand-shaft p, having bearings u pon the draw-bar at opposite sides of the central chamber. Said hand-shaft p is provided with a hand lever or crank w or other suitable means, whereby the said shaft may be turned with the eccentric thereon and the detent adapted to be retired slightly from the rear end of the coupling-jaw, so that the latter is unlocked and allowed to gravitate at its heavier forward end. The retirement of the detent, due to the turning of the eccentric a limited distance, enables the jaw to drop to its open position automatically.

The arm of thedetent is somewhat hookshaped and is cored out or slotted, as at 0', thc hook serving as a tooth or gear bearing to receive the arm d of the repression-piece d. As the link is forced into the mouth of the draw-bar it engages the upper and forward bearing-arm d of the repression-piece, pressing the same backward and turning said IOO IIO

' piece on the shaft j.

This action causes the arm d to turn downward on the hook s, so that the detent-arm is turned against the rear end of the coupling-jaw c, pressing the same downward. Upon the entrance of the link into its socket the head of said link passes up the inclined bridge f and engages the forward arm d" or bearing of the repression-piece, forcing the said arm back a distance limited by the stop-bearing t on the inside of the draw-bar and giving to said repression-piece a limited pivotal motion on its shaft or bolt. The rearwardly-extending arm CZ of the repression-piece d, under the pressure of the link, presses the arm s downward, and at the same time the coupling-jaw at its rearward end is pressed down and the outward and forward end of the said jaw is raised, so that its shoulder k passes up behind the head of the link, thus holding said link in the socket of the draw-bar. The downward movement of the detent pivotally occasions also a downward thrust, due to the turning of the eccentric.

I prefer to provide the detent c with a projection u, Fig. l, by means of which a crossbar or key-rod o (outlined in Fig. 2) may be thrust through the draw-bar sidewise into engagement with said projection, and thus the said detent will be held in its downward or locking position for the purposes of preventing unauthorized persons from manipulating the hand-lever w and uncoupling the parts. This key-rod, however, may be dispensed with where it is deemed unnecessary. The detent is preferably cored out, as,A at r, at its downward-projecting arm to receive a sliding lock-bolt 3 for the purposes of a safetylock to prevent uncoupling or unlocking because of the vibrations of the car while traveling. This bolt 3 at its opposite sides or ends is provided with projections 4, Fig. S, which engage the stops 5. (Shown in side elevation in Fig. 4.) The slidinglock-bolt 3 is held into engagement withthe said stop 5 by means of a spring GO, Fig. S, although it may be employed and operated by gravity to lock the detent. The retirement of the detent, however, because of the eccentric n, disengages the said lock-bolt 3 from the said stop so that said detent is free to open when the hand-leverw is brought into play to turn the eccentric.

At or near the upper limit of retiring movement of the detent certain segmental side lugs 6 on said detent engage segment-bearings 7 on the side walls of the draw-bar. (Shown more clearly in Fig. 4.) This engagement induces a forward rocking, sheering, or turning movement of the detent, so that the intermeshing gear-like bearings s d of the detent and repression-piece are kept in proper relative position to receive the coupling impulse due to the insertion of the link into its socket.

Above the detent I prefer to-form an openingl S for waste to receive and hold lubricatdescribed.

ing-oil. The strap portion of the detent may also be perforated in line with said opening, as indicated in outline in Fig. 7, to allow the lubricant to pass down to the eccentric. The body of the draw-bar otherwise forms a hood to cover the detent e, jaw c, and repressionpiece cl to protect the same from moisture, dust, dac., such as would tend to clog the said working parts.

The upward movement of the detent-arm d and the forward movement of the linkbearing CZ are limited by the stop-bearing 9 on the inner wall of the draw-bar.

The link that I prefer is shown in Figs. 9, 10, and ll, where a straight shank or stem of heavy metal is provided at its opposite ends with the heads c adapted to enter the sockets h of the draw-bars and be held therein by the coupling parts c and d, as hereinbefore fully The links are preferably of the length of the standard links, but may be of any length suited for the purpose. The heads g' are preferably approximately acorn shape, being rounded at the sides to effect a quick rise as the head engages the incline of the bridge with a flat lor approximately iiat front bearing in line with the shank the forward face of the part d without damage thereto, and at the rear with an abrupt bearing or shoulder, bywhich the link can beheld firmly within the coupling. The Shanks may be rounded or oval in cross-section and may be provided with an eye g" to receive the old coupling-pin.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is*- l. TheA improved car-coupling herein described in which is combined with the drawbar a, having at its forward extremity an integral'bell which is interiorly chanibered to receive the end of a link, the upper part of said draw-bar chamber being closed at the top and having a recess h, and being open at the bottom where it receives said link end, a coupling-jaw working in said open bottom of the draw-bar and adapted to hold said link end in the recess of said draw-bar, a repression-piece arranged contiguous to said recess,

h, to be engaged by the link end as the latter passes into the said recess of the draw-bar bell, a detent acted on by said repressionpiece and engaging the jaw to hold the same in coupling relation,substantially as set forth.

2. The improved car-coupling herein described,comprising a recessed and bell-shaped draw-bar, the bottom of which is open for the reception of a coupling-jaw, and is provided with a forwardly-inclined bridge or integral bearing-surface f, adapted to raise the'end of the link as it enters, into the recess of the draw-bar, a coupling-jaw for holding said link end into said recess, a detent forl the grasping-jaw and a repression-piece for operating the detent, substantially as set forth.

3. The improved car-coupling herein described, comprising a hooded draw-bar with an open bottom, a lever-like repression-piece IOO IIO

adapted to receive the end thrust of the coupling-link, a coupling-jaw operable at its forward end to engage the link to hold the same in its coupled position, anda detent engaged by the repression-piece and engaging the cou pling-jaw, substantially as set forth.

et. The improved car-coupling herein described comprising a draw-bar, a repressionpiece to be pressed by the link attached to the approaching car, a lever-like detent engaged by the repression-piece and a lever-like coupling-jaw engaged in turn by the lever-like detent and held thereby, substantially as set forth.

5. The improved carcoupling herein described comprising a draw-bar, a repressionpiece fulcrumed on a transverse shaft or bar, a detent fulcrum ed on another transverse bar and a lever-like coupling-jaw held in its coupling relation by said detent and repressionpiece, substantially as set forth.

G. The improved car-coupling herein described comprising a draw-bar, repressionpiece, a detent carried by an eccentric, and a coupling-jaw, arranged and adapted to operate, substantially as set forth.

7. The improved car-coupling, herein described, comprising a draw-bar, arepressionpiece having arms d', d, a detent arranged on an eccentric, means for turning said eccentric and retiring the detent and a lever-like coupling -jaw, all arranged and combined, substantially as set forth.

S. The improved car-coupling herein described comprising a draw-bar, having a bot.- tom opening bridged by an inclined portion f, of said draw-bar, a lever-like repressionpiece having arms CZ', d, a detent adapted to be turned by hand-operable means, and a fulcrumed, vertically-movable coupling-jaw, arranged in said bottom opening, substantially as set forth.

9. The improved car-coupling herein described comprising a draw-bar, a repressionpiece d, a jaw c, and a detent e engaging said jaw c, and adapted to be retired to permit an opening of said jaw and means for retiring said detent, substantially as set forth.

l0. In a car-coupling, the combination with the draw-bar,a lever-like repression-piece adapted to receive the end thrust of the cooperating coupling device, a coupling-jaw adapted at its forward part to engage said cooperating device, a detent engaging said jaw to lock the same and engaged by said repression-piece, and an eccentric carrying said detent and means for turning the same, substantially as set forth.

ll. The improved car-coupling herein described, in which is combin ed a draw-bar having a hollow hooked chamber provided with bearings t and 9, for limiting the movements of the repression-piece arms, a lever-like repression-piece cl, having arms d', CZ, adapted to engage said bearing and be limited in their movements thereby, a coupling-jaw and detent,all arranged and operating, substantially as set forth.

12. The improved car-coupling herein described in which is combined with the drawbar having a segment-lug 7, alever-like coupling-jaw, a repression-piece and a detent having lugs G, all arranged and combined, substantially as set forth.

13. The improved car-coupling herein described, comprising the draw-bar having a bell end and interior chamber the walls of which have the stops t and O, and segmental lugs 7, a lever-like coupling-jaw, a lever-like detent for the same having lugs adapted to engage said lugs 7, an eccentric for retiring said detent and occasioning a sheering or rocking action upon the said lugs 7,` and a repression-piece all arranged and combined, substantially as set forth.

le. The improved car-coupler herein described comprising a draw-bar, a lever-like coupling-jaw, a pivoted repression-piece having arms d', d, a detent having an arm engaged by the arm d', and engaging the coupling-jaw, an eccentric and a lock for said detent, all arranged and combined, substantially as set forth.

l5. The improved car-coupling herein described comprising a draw-bar, a lever-like `coupling-jaw, a pivotal repression-piece, a

detent engaged by the repression-piece and holding said coupling-jaw an eccentric for retiring the detent and a sliding lock-bolt arranged in a slot in said detent, substantially as set forth.

1G. The improved car-coupling herein described comprising a draw-bar having a fiaring forward end and open bottom the bottom opening having a bridge with an inclined bearing, and the interior of thewalls having stopbearings 9 and t, segmental bearing 7, and stop 5, for the lock-bolt, a shaftj, on Which the repression-piece CZ, is fulcrumed said repression-piece having a forward arm al", back of the bridge and adapted to receive the incoming link, and having a rearward arm d', adapted to gear with the detent, said detent, arranged on an eccentric fn., back of said repression-piece and having a slotted arm engaged by the repression-piece and engaging the cou pling-jaw, said eccentric having means whereby it may be turned and a lock-bolt Within the slot of the slotted arm, said bolt engaging t-he stop 5, and said coupling-jaw having ears pivoted upon the said shaft j, all substantially as set forth.

17. In a car-coupling, the combination with the draw-bar having a bell end, open bottom and bridge, of a lever-like coupling-jaw Working virtually within said open bottom and at its forward end adapted to form a socket to receive and hold the head of the couplinglink and at the rear end adapted to receive a detent adapted to hold said jaw in its coupling relation, substantially as set forth.

18. In a car-coupling, the combination With IOO IIO

the draw-bar having the recess 71 and inclined bridge, the inclined surface of which is adapted to guide the head of the link upward to cause the upper part of said link-head to enter the said recess, a coupling-jaw adapted to engage the side of said link-head and hold it in saidrrecess, and a repression-piece adapted to befengaged by said link-head and operate a train of, mechanism by which said jaw is closed against the link-head, of said link having `Aopposite heads which are of conoid shape with rounded sides to give a quick upward movement when sliding on the inclined bridge, abruptly shouldered at the back and flattened at the front in line with the shank to present a broad surface to the repressionpiece and reduce indentation under the force of impact, substantially as set forth.

19. In a car-coupling, the combination with the draw-bar having a iiaring forward end and open bottom, the bottom opening having a bridge with an inclined bearing above which the draw-bar is interiorly recessed or socketed, a jaw for holding the link into said upper recess, means forfastening said jaw automatically in its holding position, and a link having'a rounded head adapted to engage said inclined bridge and be raised into the socket or recess and held therein by the jaw, substantially as set forth.

20. In a car-coupling, the combination with the draw-bar, repression-piece and couplingjaw, of a detent pivoted on an eccentric, and means for turning said eccentric, substantially as set forth. Y

2l. In a car-couplin g, the combination with the jaw draw-bar having` a flaring end with a closed top within vwhich a recess h, is formed andan open bottom to receive a couplin g-j aw, which lopen bottom is bridged, the bridge being integrally formed in said draw-bar and having an i-nclined bearing-surface adapted the recess inthe draw-bar and coupling-jaw,

to permit a ball-and-socket movement of the link, substantially as set forth.

22. In a car-coupling, the combination with the draw-bar, repression-piece, and couplingjaw, of a detent pivoted on an eccentric, and having a projection u, said eccentric and means for operating the same, and a cross-bar or key-rod 0, substantially as set forth.

23. The combination with the draw-bar, jaw c, detent and repression-piece d, of an eccentric carrying, said detent and a feather working in a slot larger than said feather whereby the detent is allowed a limited independence of movement on the eccentric, substantially as set forth.

24. The combination with the draw-bar, jaw, detent, operable by a hand-lever, and repression-piece arranged, substantially as described, said detent havingthe projection u, of a key-rod fu, adapted to be thrust through the draw-bar sidewise into engagement with said projection, substantially'as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of March, 1897.

BENJAMIN F. OLMSTED. lVitnesses:

CHARLES H. PELL, C. B. PITNEY. 

